In Love With Him

Chapter 48

Kennedy POV

It had been a while since Dominic stormed off, and I hadn’t seen him since. The poolside laughter and post-wrestling energy had faded. I sat in silence with Max while Morgan and Kyle flirted like no one else existed.

Then Helen came out onto the deck, wiping her hands on a towel. “Dinner’s almost ready,” she called.

That broke the spell. Kyle and Morgan got up and started heading toward the guest bedroom above the garage to change. Max grabbed his Switch and went inside mumbling about how he was starving to death.

I followed behind but split off once inside, making my way upstairs.

I wasn’t really hungry.

I was anxious.

I walked into my room and changed quickly, slipping on a simple black sundress. It had spaghetti straps, a soft v-cut neckline, and clung gently to my frame before stopping mid-thigh. It wasn’t meant to be sexy—just easy and cute—but the way it hugged my hips made me pause in the mirror.

I threw my hair into a messy bun, hoping it gave me that effortless “I didn’t try too hard” vibe even though I was suddenly very aware of everything I was wearing.

I stepped into the hallway and looked down toward Dominic’s door.

Still closed.

I hesitated.

My feet moved before I even realized it.

I walked to his door and gently knocked. “Dominic?”

No answer.

I bit my lip and slowly turned the knob, pushing the door open just a crack and peeking in.

He was lying flat on his back on the bed, shirtless, still wearing those black athletic shorts from earlier. His skin was slightly damp with sweat, and his chest rose and fell in slow, controlled breaths.

I froze.

God.

His body was ridiculous.

I’d seen him shirtless before, but never like this—completely relaxed, unaware, muscles stretched and flexed in all the right places. My eyes trailed from the dips of his collarbones, down his defined pecs, to the lean lines of his abs that disappeared under the waistband of his shorts. That's when I saw a very big and thick outline, heat pooled between my legs making me shift my hips.

My mind slipped.

I imagined crawling onto the bed on top of him, kissing each ridge of his abdomen, hearing his breath hitch under my touch. I imagined those strong hands grabbing my thighs, pulling me closer, his mouth trailing kisses up my neck while I tangled my fingers in his hair and—

“What’s up, princess,” he said with a sigh, eyes still closed.

My heart nearly exploded.

I cleared my throat, flustered. “Dinner’s done.”

He groaned, finally sitting up and resting his elbows on his knees, rubbing his face. “Can I just eat up here? Kyle’s just gonna start s**t. Like he always does. Just wait.”

I slowly stepped into the room, standing a few feet from him. “You should just ignore him.”

He shook his head without looking at me. “It’s not that simple.”

And then—he finally looked up.

The shift was instant.

His eyes met mine, and then trailed lower… slowly, deliberately. His gaze dropped to my collarbone, my chest, my thighs—lingering.

His lips parted just slightly, his breath catching.

And just like that, my body started moving again, like I wasn’t in control of it anymore.

I found myself standing directly in front of him, my legs brushing his knees as I settled between his legs. My heart was slamming against my ribcage.

I hesitated for a second, then slowly reached out, fingers brushing into his hair.

He leaned into my touch just slightly, like he’d been waiting for it.

We didn’t speak.

We didn’t need to.

His hands came up slowly, both settling on my outer thighs. My breath hitched.

Then both of his hands were sliding upward, trailing over my skin so gently it made my knees weak. His fingertips skimmed the hem of my dress, paused… waiting for me to stop him.

But I didn’t.

I couldn’t.

I felt his hand rise just enough to reach the edge of my panties.

And that’s when it happened.

“DOMINIC, KENNEDY! DINNER!!” Helen’s voice rang out from downstairs.

We both jumped like we’d been electrocuted.

I stepped back, heartbeat slamming in my ears. I fidgeted with my fingers, suddenly unable to look him in the eye.

“I, um... I’ll meet you downstairs,” I mumbled, then turned and nearly bolted out the door.

I didn’t look back.

I couldn’t.

Because if I did, I was afraid I’d run right back into his arms.

---

Dominic POV

I stared at the ceiling, my fists clenched against the sheets.

The room still carried the echo of Kyle’s voice from earlier, his smug tone, his damn military posture, the way he acted like he still ruled the house. I could still feel the burn in my back from when he slammed me to the ground in front of everyone—especially her.

My jaw tightened.

I hated losing. But I could have handled that. What was harder to stomach was the look Kennedy gave me right before I walked off. Not pity, not embarrassment—something worse.

Concern.

She looked concerned for me.

I hated it.

I didn't want her to see me as weak.

My hair was still damp from sweat, my breathing not fully calmed, my body still tense.

And then I heard it.

A soft knock.

“Dominic?”

Her voice.

I said nothing, hoping maybe she’d go away. I wasn’t in the mood. Not after Kyle. Not after feeling humiliated in my own backyard.

But then the door creaked, I closed my eyes.

I didn’t move, "What's up, princess."

I could feel her presence, like gravity shifting in the room.

Then her voice again. “Dinner’s done.”

I sighed moving my body to sit up putting my face in my hands. “Can I just eat up here? Kyle’s just going to start s**t like he always does. Just wait.”

I didn’t even look at her. I could hear her steps though—soft, hesitant.

“You should just ignore him,” she said gently.

I shook my head. “It’s not that simple.”

And then I looked up.

That’s when everything shifted.

She was standing there, in this little black sundress that hugged every single curve of her body, her hair up in that messy bun she always wore when she didn’t care—and God, it killed me. Her skin practically glowed under the dim hallway light. Her collarbone, the gentle slope of her chest, the curve of her thighs…

I couldn’t breathe.

She wasn’t even trying. That was the problem.

She looked like that—effortlessly.

My eyes dragged over her slowly. I didn’t try to hide it. I didn’t want to.

She didn’t move away. In fact, she stepped closer.

Then closer.

Until she was right in front of me, her knees brushing mine. Between my legs, her body so close I could feel the warmth coming off her skin. My pulse throbbed in my ears.

Then she did it.

She reached out and ran her fingers through my hair—soft, slow, comforting. I nearly melted into it.

I should’ve stopped it.

I didn’t.

Then her fingers drifted down, brushing over my jaw, the side of my face.

And I… snapped.

My hand moved without permission, trailing up her leg, slowly, deliberately, until my palm slid over the soft skin of her thigh. She sucked in a breath, and I felt it through her whole body.

I stopped at the hem of her dress, my fingers resting there—waiting. Daring her to tell me no.

But she didn’t.

I let my hand slip under the fabric, fingertips ghosting higher until I brushed the soft edge of her panties. She didn’t move. She didn’t flinch.

Our eyes locked.

God, I was so close to losing control. I could feel it in every inch of me. The scent of her, the feel of her skin, the way she was looking at me like she wanted me to keep going—

“DOMINIC, KENNEDY! DINNER!!”

Mom’s voice pierced through the air like a slap.

We both flinched.

She stepped back quickly, like she realized how close we were to doing something we couldn’t undo.

“I, um... I’ll meet you downstairs,” she stammered, eyes darting away.

Then she turned and left, disappearing down the hall.

I sat there, breathing hard.

My hand was still tingling where it touched her skin.

I ran it down my face, dragging my palm over my mouth as if that would wipe away what just happened.

But it wouldn’t.

I had just told myself I needed to set boundaries.

I was failing miserably.

Because the truth was—I didn’t want boundaries.

Not with her.

Not anymore.